Hair curler

ABSTRACT

A non-electric hair curler is of tubular shape and is formed of a resilient synthetic organic polymeric resin. Four longitudinal slots are arranged in quadrature at each end of the curler, each slot including an inner section with parallel serrated rib reinforced edges and an outer section with outwardly diverging edges. The outer adjacent edges of adjacent slots converge to delineate tapered fingers, the fingers at each end of the curler flaring outwardly and being resilient.

United States Patent 1 Solomon [451 Sept. 4, 1973 HAIR CURLER [76] Inventor: Nathan L. Solomon, Cedar Ln.,

Englewood, NJ.

[22] Filed: Sept. 27, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 170,211

[52] US. Cl. 132/40, 132/43 R [51] Int. Cl A45d 2/16 [58] Field 01 Search 132/39, 40, 41 R, 132/41 A, 41 B, 41 C, 42 R, 42 A, 43 R, 43 A, 44, 33 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,103,223 9/1963 Trabish 132/40 X 2,378,872 6/1945 vSt0l'1e...; 132/44 2,179,525 11/1939 Solomon 132/41 C FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 759,979 10/1956 Great Britain 132/43 R Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-l N. Eskovitz Attorney-Howard C. Miskin s7 ABSTRACT A non-electric hair curler is of tubular shape and is formed of a resilient synthetic organic polymeric resin. Four longitudinal slots are arranged in quadrature at each end of the curler, each slot including an inner section with parallel serrated rib reinforced edges and an outer section with outwardly diverging edges. The outer adjacent edges of adjacent slots converge to delineate tapered fingers, the fingers at each end of the curler flaring outwardly and being resilient.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 4 ms INVENTOR. NATHAN L. SOLOMON BY H (WM ATTORNEY.

1 HAIR CURLER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to improvements in hair treating devices and it relates particularly to an improved hair curler.

In the curling of hair it is a conventional practice to wind the individual hair tresses onto respective hair curlers and allow the tresses to remain wound on the curlers for an extended period until the hair tresses become, at least temporarily, set into a curl. Hair curlers of various shapes and constructions are available but these possess numerous drawbacks and disadvantages, particularly when applied to the production of tight curls as typified by croquignole and corkscrew wound curls. These hair curlers, when used for tight curling, are difficult and inconvenient to use, are relatively expensive, uncomfortable, of little versatility and adaptability and otherwise leave much to be desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved hair treating device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hair curler.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hair curler which is highly suited for the easy and efficient formation of croquignole or corkscrew wound and similarly tightly and closely wound curlers.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a hair curler of the above nature characterized by its simplicity, ruggedness, low cost, high versatility and adaptability and ease, convenience and comfort of use.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof.

In a sense the present invention contemplates the provision of a hair curler integrally formed of a resilient synthetic organic polymeric resin and comprising a tubular body member having a plurality of peripherally spaced longitudinally extending slots formed in an end thereof, the outer sections of said slots having outwardly diverging opposite edges. In its preferred form, the improved hair curler is provided at opposite ends with four longitudinal slots arranged in quadrature, the parallel inner edges of each slot being serrated and reinforced along its borders with inwardly directed reinforcing ribs. The adjacent outer diverging edges of con secutive slots delineate outwardly directed resilient fingers provided with rounded medial apices, the fingers flaring or diverging outwardly.

The improved hair curler is highly versatile and adaptable and by appropriately dimensioning the diameter and length of the curler, it may be employed for any type of curl and is particularly useful for croquignole, corkscrew or other tightly wound curls in any desired position along the length of the tress of hair and in any desired length. The curler is easily and conveniently applied and comfortable to wear and allows free passage of air through for aiding in drying the hair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of a curler embodying the present invention, a tress of hair being shown in phantom wound on the curler;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged front elevational view of one end of the curler, the fingers being shown by broken line in a spread condition; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reference numeral 10 generally designates the improved hair curler, which is shown applied to a tress of hair 11. The hair curler I0 is integrally formed as unit from a resilient, preferably soft, synthetic organic polymeric resin, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride or the like and may be advantageously produced by injection molding.

The hair curler 10 includes a cylindrical tubular body member perforated along its length and periphery with spaced openings 13. Formed in each end of the body member 12 are four peripherally spaced longitudinally extending slots arranged in quadrature, that is peripherally spaced to provide two pairs of diametrically opposed slots 14. Each slot 14 is delineated by a pair of transversely spaced, longitudinally extending parallel serrated edges 16 and an inner transverse edge 17. Longitudinal inwardly directed ribs 18 and transversely extending inwardly directed ribs 19 are formed on the inner face of the body member 12 along slot longitudinal and transverse edges 16 and 17 respectively.

Extending longitudinally outwardly from each end of the body member 12 are outwardly diverging or flaring resilient fingers 20. Each finger 20 is delineated by longitudinally curved side edges 21 which outwardly converge to a rounded apex 22, the side edges 21 delineating each finger 20 extending from adjacent edges 16 of adjacent slots 14. The opposing side edges 21 of adjacent fingers 20 diverge outwardly from a respective slot 14 and delineate an inwardly converging entrance opening 23 into the respective slot 14. The fingers 20 are transversely and longitudinally curved and may be resiliently spread to the positions shown by broken line in FIG. 3 to correspondingly open or widen the outer sections of respective slots 14.

It should be noted that although in the preferred embodiment, four fingers 20 and four slots 14 are shown at each end of the hair curler 10, more or less of such slots and fingers may be provided. Furthermore, the length and diameter of the hair curler 10 may be dimensioned in accordance with the tightness or thickness of the desired curler, for example the diameter of the hair curler may be between three-eighths inch and seven-eighths inch.

In employing the improved hair curler 10 in producing tight curl extending from close to the scalp, the curler 10 is applied to a tres 11 adjacent the scalp by sliding the curler 10 perpendicular to the tress 11 so that the tress 11 enters through opposite passageways 23 between fingers 20, resiliently spreading the fingers 20, where the tress 11 is of sufficient thickness, into slots 14 where the tress is grasped and releasably firmly held between opposing serrated edges 14. The free length of the tress 11 is then helically, spirally or spirally and helically wound about the curler body member 12 for the desired amount and the outer end section 26 of the tress 11 is then longitudinally slid through a pair of opposite passageways 23, which are likewise resiliently spread by the entering tress section 26, into the slots 14, where the serrated edges 16 releasably firmly engage the tress section 26 and releasably lock the curled tress to the hair curler 11. The curled tress may then be dried and otherwise treated, the openings 13 functioning to facilitate the drying of the curl. Upon the termination of the treatment of the curled tress, the tress end section 26 is first disengaged from the hair curler by spreading the corresponding fingers and respective slots 14 and sliding the tress section 26 longitudinally outwardly through passageways 23. Thereafter the tress 11 is either unwound from or loosened on body member 12, the fingers 20 and slots 14 proximate the scalp being spread and the hair curler longitudinally separated from the tress l 1. It should be noted that the hair curler 10 may be employed in other manners than described above and is highly versatile and adaptable in this connection. I

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations, omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

What l claim is:

l. A hair curler integrally formed of a resilient organic polymeric resin and comprising an elongated circular cylindrical tubular body member of substantially uniform wall thickness having a plurality of peripherally spaced longitudinally extending slots formed in up posite ends thereof, the outer sections of said slots having outwardly diverging opposite edges and the edges delineating the inner sections of said slots being parallel and defining hair clamps, said slot outer sections funnelling longitudinally into said slot inner sections.

2. The hair curler of claim 1 wherein the adjacent diverging edges of adjacent slots converge outwardly to define respective outwardly directed resilient fingers.

3. The hair curlers of claim 2 wherein said fingers are outwardly divergent and resiliently outwardly spreadable to increase the widths of said slots between respective adjacent fingers.

4. The hair curler of claim 2 wherein said fingers terminate at their outer ends in curved apices.

5. A hair curler integrally formed of a resilient synthetic organic polymeric resin and comprising an elongated cylindrical tubular body member of substantially uniform wall thicknesses having a plurality of peripherally spaced longitudinally extending slots formed in opposite ends thereof, the outer sections of said slots having outwardly diverging opposite edges and the edges delineating the inner sections of said slots being parallel and defining hair clamps, said edges delineating said slot inner sections being serrated and extending from the inner ends of said diverging edges.

6. The hair curler of claim 5 including ribs formed on said body member and extending along said slot parallel edges.

7. The hair curler of claim 5 wherein, the adjacent outer edges of adjacent slots converge outwardly to an apex and define a corresponding finger.

8. The hair curler of claim 7 including ribs formed on the inner face of said body member and extending along the borders of said slot inner sections.

9. The hair curler of claim 8 where four of said slots are formed in each end of said body member and are arranged in quadrature.

10. The hair curler of claim 9 wherein said fingers at each end of said body member are resilient and outwardly divergent.

* a: at k a 

1. A hair curler integrally formed of a resilient organic polymeric resin and comprising an elongated circular cylindrical tubular body member of substantially uniform wall thickness having a plurality of peripherally spaced longitudinally extending slots formed in opposite ends thereof, the outer sections of said slots having outwardly diverging opposite edges and the edges delineating the inner sections of said slots being parallel and defining hair clamps, said slot outer sections funnelling longitudinally into said slot inner sections.
 2. The hair curler of claim 1 wherein the adjacent diverging edges of adjacent slots converge outwardly to define respective outwardly directed resilient fingers.
 3. The hair curlers of claim 2 wherein said fingers are outwardly divergent and resiliently outwardly spreadable to increase the widths of said slots between respective adjacent fingers.
 4. The hair curler of claim 2 wherein said fingers terminate at their outer ends in curved apices.
 5. A hair curler integrally formed of a resilient synthetic organic polymeric resin and comprising an elongated cylindrical tubular body member of substantially uniform wall thicknesses having a plurality of peripherally spaced longitudinally extending slots formed in opposite ends thereof, the outer sections of said slots having outwardly diverging opposite edges and the edges delineating the inner sections of said slots being parallel and defining hair clamps, said edges delineating said slot inner sections being serrated and extending from the inner ends of said diverging edges.
 6. The hair curler of claim 5 including ribs formed on said body member and extending along said slot parallel edges.
 7. The hair curler of claim 5 wherein, the adjacent outer edges of adjacent slots converge outwardly to an apex and define a corresponding finger.
 8. The hair curler of claim 7 including ribs formed on the inner face of said body member and extending along the borders of said slot inner sections.
 9. The hair curler of claim 8 where four of said slots are formed in each end of said body member and are arranged in quadrature.
 10. The hair curler of claim 9 wherein said fingers at each end of said body member are resilient and outwardly divergent. 